Levonian
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2003
- Messages
- 3,908
- Reaction score
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Hello everybody. I stumbled across this site a couple of weeks ago when I was cruising the web trying to find out if Christy Smith was ever planning to come to CSUN. (I typed "Christy Smith" and CSUN into Google and hit the Marlee Matlin thread). That night, I happened to mention it on Christy’s World chat. The following week Sarah Dillon told me that she had gone over here and posted some stuff, so I went over to check out what she posted. That’s when I saw the main page and realized what a cool site it was. I’ve spent several hours now looking through the threads and reading all of your posts. It’s just the best Deaf web site I’ve ever seen, bar none.
So anyway, I’ll give you a little biographical information: my name is Eric, and I live in Simi Valley, California—home of the Rodney King trials. (I've actually met Rodney King once. He’s a loud mouthed punk with the manners and morals of a spoiled 5 year old brat. That line from Barbershop was right—he did get exactly what he deserved). Anyway, I’m HOH, having contracted spinal meningitis at the age of 5. But the meningitis did something very strange: it only knocked out one of my ears. So I grew up with monaural hearing, and went to regular mainstream schools. It’s never really been much of an issue for me—I’ve always just considered it a minor annoyance that I simply have to contend with. Then, about 2 years ago, my neighbor’s ex-girlfriend turned me on to ASL. I went and bought some books, and started picking it up. Later, she asked me if I wanted to go to Deaf Expo with her. I gladly accepted. It was there that I talked to somebody from the Cochlear Corporation. (No, I have no intention of getting one, I was just talking to her because it was the end of the day and I had already seen all the exhibits). She told me that losing only one ear to meningitis is incredibly rare; it’s almost clinically unheard of. I later looked it up, and it turned out she was right. So that was the day of awakening for me. My thoughts at the time were that I had somehow miraculously dodged a bullet, and that I could have grown up deaf, and that the people I had met at Deaf Expo could have been my people. After that, my interest started to rapidly grow. I started reading everything: Harlan Lane, Oliver Sacks, more advanced ASL materials such as the Gallaudet Green Books; everything I could get my hands on. I also went out of my way to meet more Deaf people and investigate Deaf art and theater. Now, two years later, I’ve realized the truth—that my sense of relief at having "dodged a bullet" was unjustified. Life would have been no different for me had I lost both ears, and in many ways would have been markedly enhanced. I recently had the pleasure and honor of meeting Christy Smith. She’s a beautiful human being, and most of the Deaf people I’ve met are like her in some way. (Most of the hearing people I know are more like Jenna). I would consider it a privilege to have grown up with these people and formed lifelong friendships with them. In a way, I almost now think of Deaf people as being superior to hearing people.
Well, before I get my ass flamed for talking too much, I just want to wrap this up by saying that I hope this site is up for a long time to come, and that I intend to contribute as much as I can. (And no, not quite like bbnt
). And for those of you who live in SoCal, see you all in Long Beach in November.
So anyway, I’ll give you a little biographical information: my name is Eric, and I live in Simi Valley, California—home of the Rodney King trials. (I've actually met Rodney King once. He’s a loud mouthed punk with the manners and morals of a spoiled 5 year old brat. That line from Barbershop was right—he did get exactly what he deserved). Anyway, I’m HOH, having contracted spinal meningitis at the age of 5. But the meningitis did something very strange: it only knocked out one of my ears. So I grew up with monaural hearing, and went to regular mainstream schools. It’s never really been much of an issue for me—I’ve always just considered it a minor annoyance that I simply have to contend with. Then, about 2 years ago, my neighbor’s ex-girlfriend turned me on to ASL. I went and bought some books, and started picking it up. Later, she asked me if I wanted to go to Deaf Expo with her. I gladly accepted. It was there that I talked to somebody from the Cochlear Corporation. (No, I have no intention of getting one, I was just talking to her because it was the end of the day and I had already seen all the exhibits). She told me that losing only one ear to meningitis is incredibly rare; it’s almost clinically unheard of. I later looked it up, and it turned out she was right. So that was the day of awakening for me. My thoughts at the time were that I had somehow miraculously dodged a bullet, and that I could have grown up deaf, and that the people I had met at Deaf Expo could have been my people. After that, my interest started to rapidly grow. I started reading everything: Harlan Lane, Oliver Sacks, more advanced ASL materials such as the Gallaudet Green Books; everything I could get my hands on. I also went out of my way to meet more Deaf people and investigate Deaf art and theater. Now, two years later, I’ve realized the truth—that my sense of relief at having "dodged a bullet" was unjustified. Life would have been no different for me had I lost both ears, and in many ways would have been markedly enhanced. I recently had the pleasure and honor of meeting Christy Smith. She’s a beautiful human being, and most of the Deaf people I’ve met are like her in some way. (Most of the hearing people I know are more like Jenna). I would consider it a privilege to have grown up with these people and formed lifelong friendships with them. In a way, I almost now think of Deaf people as being superior to hearing people.
Well, before I get my ass flamed for talking too much, I just want to wrap this up by saying that I hope this site is up for a long time to come, and that I intend to contribute as much as I can. (And no, not quite like bbnt
). And for those of you who live in SoCal, see you all in Long Beach in November.
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So I'm gettin more and more interested in deaf culture. My interpreters are teaching me stuff that I didn't know. So can you tell me what books did you read??? I just wish I experienced this when I was younger. Oh well ..... Never too late! 
welcome to AD and enjoy ur stay Eric! 
